INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE: Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to clip-on style lenses and more particularly to a pair of lenses such as sunglasses having an improved construction and assembly method.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Folisi, U.S. Des. 423,777 describes a sunglass holder design.
Kooketsu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,001 describes individual lenses of subsidiary glasses, such as sun glasses, that are attached to lenses of ordinary glasses by means of three fasteners, each in the shape of a square arch, made of synthetic resin and each provided, at about the middle of the arch, with an inner projection to form front and rear fitting portions at the front and rear sides of the projections respectively. The three fasteners are fitted respectively, with the front fitting portions, in three grooves provided in the periphery of the subsidiary lens and secured in place. The grooves are located so that lines connecting them form a triangle, with the distance between upper and lower fasteners located near the bridge of the ordinary glasses being larger than the outside diameter, in a vertical direction, of the ordinary glasses. This permits the lens of the subsidiary glasses to be fitted and removed from the lens of ordinary glasses in a direction transverse thereto.
Bolle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,017 describes spectacles comprising two eyepieces joined by a bridge, each eyepiece comprising a first end by which it is connected to the said bridge, and a second end, remote from the first one, to which is fixed a side-piece. According to the invention, each side-piece has on one end a clip comprising two wings placed opposite each other, between which extends the said second end of the eyepiece, one of the wings bearing elastic retaining means arranged to cooperate with corresponding means provided on the eyepiece in such a way as to ensure a given positioning of the clip in relation to the eyepiece. Application to the manufacture of novelty spectacles.
Pedron et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,692 describes a device for connecting monolithic tinted lenses on a bridge of a pair of corrective eyeglasses, consisting of a first body which has first and second elements for temporary engagement at at least one seat formed on the lens and to the bridge. A second body is also provided which allows to temporarily lock the position of the first body on the lens.
Solomon, U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,036 describes an eyeglass device including a frame supporting first and second lenses therein. The frame includes support hooks and latch assemblies that permit the securing of third and fourth lenses to the frame over a respective first and second lens. Alternatively, an auxiliary frame is fastened to the frame using securing members attached to the auxiliary frame, the frame, or both the auxiliary frame and the frame.
Locatelli, U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,197 describes a deformable hook for removably securing a monocular screen to an eyeglass. The hook includes a first end portion for fixing to said screen, a second end portion for contacting with a peripheral surface of said eyeglass, and a central portion interconnecting the first and second end portions and for passing over an edge surface of the eyeglass. The first and second end portions include a pin portion extendable through an orifice in a periphery of the screen. The hook is a solid body, and the first end portion is preferably of a rectilinear shape extending along a longitudinal axis.
Salk, U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,029 describes an improved construction for custom clip-on accessories for spectacles including a pair of accessory lens components that are shaped to conform to the lenses of a pair of spectacles. A pair of clasp components are secured to upper edge portions of respective accessory lenses, and a bridge member joins the two upper clasps to form an assembly thereof. In addition, a pair of lower clasps are secured to lower edge portions of the respective accessory lenses. The upper and lower clasps include bracket portions that engage the frame (or, in frameless spectacles, the edges of the ophthalmic lenses) and removably retain the clip-on assembly to the spectacles. Each clasp includes a channel-like opening for receiving the edge portion of the accessory lens. The channel is formed of a stiff, form-retaining metal that may be crimped to contract onto the edge portion of the accessory lens. Moreover, a sharp, tooth-like projection extends into the channel opening from one side thereof, and is designed to penetrate and perforate the accessory lens. The projection prevents removal of the clasp as long as the channel opening remains crimped onto the edge portion, and this engagement obviates the need for any adhesive for joining the clasp to the accessory lens. As a result, a simple crimping operation replaces the prior art gluing step, and eliminates the need for any clean-up step following gluing.
Ng, U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,864 describes an auxiliary spectacle apparatus wherein auxiliary lenses have an elastic clip configured in the shape of a half arch for releasably engaging the primary spectacles.
Via, U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,702 describes support for auxiliary lenses able to associate auxiliary lenses with glasses comprising a frame supporting main lenses, for each of said auxiliary lenses said support comprising at least two attachment elements arranged along the edge of said lens, each of said attachment elements comprising at least a substantially U-shaped segment, equipped with elastic means to couple with a lens, at least the attachment elements comprising a hook-shaped extension able to anchor itself to the frame of the glasses.
Masunaga, U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,362 describes a clip-on attachment assembly for spectacles, which takes advantage of such prior clip-on attachment spectacles as the bridge portion thereof elastically contracts and extends so as to be secured to the frontal surface of the lenses of the spectacles in use, but which structurally facilitates not only the extension and contraction of the bridge portion, but also the engagement between the bridge portion of the attachment spectacles and the glasses thereof as well as that between the hooks to be hung onto the lenses of the spectacles in use and the attachment glasses.
The prior art describes individual lenses of subsidiary glasses; two eyepieces joined by a bridge; locking clip-on lenses; support hooks and latch assemblies; a deformable hook for removably securing a monocular screen to an eyeglass; lens components that are shaped to conform to the lenses of a pair of spectacles; an elastic clip configured in the shape of a half arch; a substantially U-shaped segment, equipped with elastic means to couple with a lens, attachment elements including a hook-shaped extension able to anchor itself to the frame of a glasses; and a bridge portion able to elastically contract and extend; but does not teach the instant snap-on hardware fixtures for preparing a pair of clip-on sunglasses using round holes and engaging clips. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
Clip-on lenses, particularly sunglasses, are in general use by those who wear eyeglasses so that they need not acquire prescription sunglasses. Such xe2x80x9cclip-onsxe2x80x9d as they are referred to by the public, tend to be compact, easy to carry in a pocket and simple to mount onto eyeglasses. Typical drawbacks to the use of clip-ons are that they add weight to the eyeglasses and that the mounting clips are unsightly, usually being large and thus visually unappealing. The present invention overcomes both of these disadvantages, is cost effective to manufacture and assembly, and is rugged and durable. A pair of lenses are fitted with mounting holes. A pair of bridge clips are integrally joined at opposing ends of a bridge wire. A mounting tongue of each of the bridge clips is engaged with one of the mounting holes for securing the bridge wire to the lenses and thus requiring a smaller clip than has been known in the prior art. When clamped, serrations on the inside surfaces of the bridge clips dig-into the lens surface for improved rigid engagement. These metal clips provide improved strength and yet are covered by plastic snaps to avoid scratching the eyeglasses to which they are mounted. Upper mounting snaps are engaged with the bridge clips and the same mounting holes. Each one of a pair of lower mounting snaps is engaged with a further one of the mounting holes in each of the lenses, the upper and lower mounting snaps each providing a hooked finger extending therefrom, the hooked fingers positioned for engagement about opposing edges of a pair of eyeglasses, enabling the lenses to be removably engaged over front surfaces of the eyeglasses. Because of the structure of the clips and snaps, they are able to be mounted securely with smaller profiles and improved holding power.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of improved rugged structure.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of improved appearance.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of inexpensive fabrication and assembly.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.